Ports Deal Raises Uncounted Issues

March 3, 2006|Melodie Vohar Pembroke Pines

President Bush said that not a single member of the committee that reviewed the sale of the management contract for six American ports to a United Arab Emirates-owned company raised any issue of national security. The interagency group included the Departments of Defense, Justice, State, Homeland Security as well as the National Security Council and the National Economic Council. It's hard to believe that no one raised a single question about the sale to a Middle Eastern country that has been identified in the 9-11 report as having terrorist ties.

Two of the hijackers were citizens of the United Arab Emirates and used funds that were laundered through that country. They also received material support for their plans. The Special Commission on 9-11 concluded that "there is a persistent counterterrorism problem represented by the United Arab Emirates."

"At a time when 95 percent of the cargo entering our ports is unscreened, we should be increasing security at our ports, not simply outsourcing it to the highest bidder," said U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston.

Aside from security, there are also some disconcerting aspects to the provisions of the sale itself. The deal does not require state-owned Dubai Ports World to keep copies of its business records on U.S. soil. It also does not require the company to designate an American citizen to accommodate requests by the government.

I'm sure there is still a lot more about this sale that we don't know -- a troubling thought.